Control system



. March 17. 1925- H. R MEYER CONTROL SYSTEM Filed Dec; 2' 1922 Q' I I I I II ||||1|| INVENTQ I ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 17, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY R. MEYER, OF EAST PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTING- HOUSE ELECTRIC &; MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANIA.

CONTROL SYSTEM.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY R. MEYER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of East Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Control Systems, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to systems of control and it has special relation to the control of air-raised pantagraphs or other current-collecting devices.

An object of my invention is to provide a system of pantagraph control, or the like, utilizing two independent sources of power: one to raise the pantagraph and one to hold it in the raised position under predetermined operating conditions.

Another object of my invention is to provide a system of the above-indicated character in which a source of power is utilized to hold the pantagraph in a raised position under normal operating conditions, while an independent source of power is employed to hold the pantagraph in the raised position upon failure of the other source of power.

In the prior art. it has been the custom to use a storage battery as the sole source of energy to operate a magnet valve which, in turn, controlled a compressed air line to hold a pantagraph in engagement with a supply conductor. Under normal conditions. with a coil of sufiicient capacity to operate the magnet valve. the battery necessarily had to be of relatively large capacity and reouired very freouent charging.

In my invention. I make use of a smallcapacity low-volta e battery in couiunction with a relatively large magnet coil. The battery functions only on the initial raising of the pantagraph and at such times as the pantagraph may be passing under a section insulator or when the line current fails. At other times, the magnet valve is suitably energized from the line and. at the same time,

a small charge is supplied to the battery.

The accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic view of a control system organized in accordance with the present invention.

Referring to the drawing. the system here shown comprises a supply or contact conductor 1, a movable pantagraph 2 being adapted to collect current from conductor 1 to operate the main motors of an electric a, 1922. Serial No. 604,503.

locomotive or the like (not shown) in the usual manner. A section insulator 9 of any familiar type is inserted in contact conductor 1.

A pipe or conduit 8, communicating with a fluid-pressure tank 4:, conducts air or other fluid medium, under pressure, to any suitable actuating device indicated by 10, in the base 5 of the pantagraph 2.

A magnet valve 6, controlled by a coil 7 is connected in the pipe line 3 between the base 5 of the pantagraph 2 and the fluidpressure tank 4.

A battery 8 may be connected in series relation with the coil 7 under conditions to be hereinafter set forth.

A relay device 15 is interposed between the pantagraph 2 and the battery 8 for protective purposes to be described below.

The operation'of my invention may be set forth as follows: If the locomotive is at rest and the pantagraph 2 in its lowered position. a control switch 17 may be closed. A loca circuit is thus established from battery 8, through switch 17, the coil 7 of magnet v lve 6 and a conductor 11 to battery 8. The coil 7 is thus energized and actuates the valve 6 to allow fluid. under pressure. toflow throu h pipe 3 to move the pantagraph 2 upwardly into engagement. with the contact conductor 1.

A circuit is thereupon established from conductor 1. through pantagraph 2. a resistor 14:. coil 16 of elay device 15 and thence to ground G. The coil 16 is thus energized and actuates the relay device 15 into the illustrated c osed position.

A further ci cuit is then established from conductor 1. through pantagraph 2, a resistor 13 and relay device 15 to iunction point 12, where the circuit divides, one branch including battery 8 and the other branch including switch 17 coil 7 and conductor 11. a common return circuit to ground G being provided. The battery 8 and coil 7 are thus connected in parallel relation between Contact conductor 1 and ground G. The coil 7 is thus normally energized to permit the pantagraph 2 to remain in its raised contact-making position, and the battery 8 receives a slight charge from the conductor 1 through resistor 13.

In case the line voltage impressed upon contact conductor 1 should fail or'the pantagraph 2 should be passing under a section insulator, such as 29;. the coil 7 of magnet valve 6 would become de-energized were it not for the-battery 8, which would then automatiical'ly continue the-cnergizatio-n of coil 7 througlrthe previously traced local circuit,

- lilpon ;zresulnption ottheline voltageupon contact conductor -1, or afterthe pantag-raph mhas passed undersection insulator 9, coil 7 and battery 8:; are again placed in. circuitwith conductor :1, as previously:described. By opening switch 17, coil 7 becomes deenergized, v-alwe 6,-closes andthe pantagraph 2 maybemade to assume its lower or inoper-: I v graph co-operat ng tl1BleSVltl1, & flu d-presative position.

It-Will be ,secnithat I; have provided-.asimpleandaefficientsystem by which the panta graph, under normal. running conditions, is

- held in its raised or operating-position by energy taken from the line and, at'the sametime, a small :charge is supplied to the battery. The battery. used; may, therefore, bev otsmal'l capac ty'and need not betaken-out: osery1ce=tor charging. Furthermore, upon failureotline'voltage for anyrreason, the

pantagraphis automatically maintained in its-icontact-making position through the agencyotethe battery, but delivery of our" rent from the battery through other circuits,

40 such as the vehicle motors, is automatically prevented. 7

'I- do not-:wish to be restricted toithespecificcircuit connections or arrangement of parts herein setforth', as'various modifications thereof may. bemade within the spirit and scope of mydnvention. Iidesire, there fore, that only-such, limitations shall be 1mposed as are indicated in umappended I Claims. 1 I; claim as" my invention 1;, A control system comprising. a'stat1on any, contact-member, a movable contact member co-operat1ng therewith, means-for hold-2 ing-saidmembers in engagement and 111C181 pendent means-tor automatically holding saidcontact membersm, engagement upon failure of-sald.first,mentioned-means;

2. A controlssystem comprising a contact conduetor, a current collector co -operating therewith, 1 means, for, holding said current collector in-engagement with. said conductor, antic-independent .means for; automatically holdingfsaidcurrent=collector in engagement w till a sil nondi qt n up n; failur aid first mentioned means.

3. control system "comprisingcaz contact conductor, a fiuid-pressure-operated current collector co-operating therewith, a source of fluidpressurc, a pipe connecting said source and said current collector ,--avalve in -said pipe, a coil for actuating said valve,-means for'encrgizing said coil from said contact conductor whenv in, engagement with said sure supply pipe-connected to said pantagraph, a valve in said fluid-pressure pipe, a, coil adapted to actuate said valve for controlling the actuation of saidpantagraph into or out of engagement with saidcontact con- 9; ductor, an auxiliary source of energy con neotcd to said pantagraph in parallel relation to saidcoilandadapted to be energized from said contact conductor when said pantagraph is in engagementtherewith, and means for opening the circuit from said pantagraph and placing said auxiliary source of energy in series relation with said COllllPQIl l-Il) cessation of voltage upon said;- pantagraph. 1

6. A control. system comprising. a station: ary, contact. conductor, a movable current collector co=operatin-g therewith, means adapted to move.saidgcurrentcollector into or out of engagement with said contact con duotor, and-means cooperating with said first mentioned means under certain emergcncyconditions only, for holding'said current collector and contact conductor in engagement. 7. A control: systemcomprising a stationary.- contact conductor, a. movable currentcollector -co-operating therewith, pneumaticmeans adapted to Imove. said current collector intoor out, otengagementnvith said contact conductor, means normally energized from said conductorifor maintaining. Suchengagement, and independent. meansfor continuing suchcnergization under abnormaloper ating conditions of said collector. I

In testimony, whereof, I. have. hereunto subscribed mynamc this-20th day o f-"Novem ber 1922.

" HARRY nfMnYER. 

